ASPIRE - circular economy marketplace

Don't waste it re-use it.

What is ASPIRE?

Advisory system for processing innovation and resource exchange (ASPIRE) is a B Corp certified online matchmaking tool using innovative software, for material resource exchange that would otherwise be discarded, by bringing different parties together to exchange value.

ASPIRE is available to any Sunshine Coast ABN holder.

Council has invested in an enterprise license so that Sunshine Coast organisations with less than 100 staff have FREE access to the circular economy platform . Register your business in minutes to start exchanging waste today.

How it works

Developed by CSIRO and data 61, ASPIRE creates matches between your organisation and another based on your waste profile. In practice, an organisation will list potential inputs they use (materials and/or items) alongside their outputs (unwanted waste streams). This develops a waste profile where the platform cleverly connects another organisation’s inputs with your outputs thus facilitating an opportunity of circular resource exchange.

You are able to exchange resources with organisations outside of the Sunshine Coast LGA including other councils and businesses in Queensland. This enables greater opportunity to exchange goods, divert resources from landfill, save on disposal costs and develop innovative solutions for troublesome materials.

Commodities traded on ASPIRE

icons showing types of re-usable items e.g. glass, paper, chemical

Benefits for your organisation

Leveraging a circular economy model for exchanging waste can:

• save costs on waste disposal
• earn revenue from waste
• divert waste from landfill
• generate data on your business's sustainability commitment
• create new supply chains
• connect businesses
• create new ideas for re-use and recycling
• exchange or sell items
• exchange resources
• reduce emissions.

Using ASPIRE

Getting started with Aspire is simple:

1. Using your web browser, go to the Aspire website
2. Register an account via the login button
3. Tell Aspire the material inputs and outputs of your organisation
4. Upload a photo and basic info of your unwanted resource to the marketplace
5. Continue business as usual or explore the marketplace.

You will be notified when you have a match, or someone has expressed interested in your resource.

Case studies

Here are some of the successful ways businesses have used this program.

A new home for e-waste

E-Waste is a huge problem in Australia. With approximately 109000 tonnes of e-waste disposed of annually, only 10% was recycled.  A Tech Recyclers, an Australian recycler, source electronic waste from businesses and schools for re-purposing and recycling. On ASPIRE, they were able to build their client base to expand their stockpile and divert e-waste from landfill.

Timber and pallet recycling

Around 70% of timber waste ends up in landfill, this includes timber pallets. It’s a hassle for businesses to dispose of timber pallets because they are bulky. Local business COYO exchanges their timber pallets with Dolphin Plastics via Aspire to generate cost and carbon savings. In turn Dolphin Plastics uses the pallets for redistribution of their product. This creates a sustainable cycling loop.

Contact

Visit Aspire to register and access the marketplace.

Learn more about the circular economy model.

If you have any questions, email [email protected] to connect with an economic development officer.